Anaheim Ducks goalie Jonas Hiller (1) releases a stream of water during a break in the action against the Nashville Predators in the first period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Friday, April 4, 2014. The Predators won 5-2. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)

It wasn’t as if the Ducks played sound defense in front of goaltender Jonas Hiller in the opening minutes Friday night at the Honda Center. It also wasn’t like the puck didn’t bounce the Nashville Predators’ way again and again, ending up in the net four times on nine shots.

No question, an early deficit wasn’t entirely Hiller’s fault, but he’s the one who paid the price in the form of an early exit from the game and rousing cheers from Ducks fans as Frederik Andersen replaced him after 17 minutes, 5 seconds had been played.

It remains to be seen if Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau will make the switch a more permanent one. Hiller’s unsteady play in the first period of a 5-2 loss to the Predators prompted a number of questions about his status for the rest of the regular season and the playoffs beyond.

Andersen’s fitness also was in question after he took a second-period shot from the Predators’ Shea Weber off the mask and suffered a headache. Hiller replaced Andersen to start the third period, with boos and jeers ringing in his ears as the Ducks faced a three-goal deficit.

Hiller wasn’t available for comment immediately after the first-place Ducks failed to pad their one-point lead over the second-place San Jose Sharks in the Pacific Division. However, he had plenty of defenders in the dressing room after he didn’t get the necessary help during the first period.

“I hope the booing was meant for the whole team and not just the goaltender,” Boudreau said.

Added Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf: “Jonas has played unbelievable for us all season and tonight we didn’t help him. Early on, there were some bounces that were unfortunate, but we didn’t stick up for him. We didn’t answer the bell and do the things we have to do for our goaltender.”

Nashville’s Colin Wilson scored twice on point-blank tries, Mike Fisher added the first of his two goals and Patric Hornqvist made it 4-1 a little more than two minutes after Kyle Palmieri gave the Ducks a glimmer of hope with his opportunistic goal at the 15-minute mark.

Boudreau had seen enough of Hiller to make the change after Hornqvist’s goal at 17:05.

There was still a chance for a rally. After all, the Ducks rallied to win 5-4 after trailing the Winnipeg Jets by four goals Monday and they pulled out a 3-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday after they were down 2-0 early in the third period.

A brief flurry got the Ducks to within 4-2 after Daniel Winnik pounced on a rebound and beat Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne only 3:18 into the second period. The Ducks dominated most of the rest of the middle period, but went to the third down 5-2 after Fisher scored his second of the game.

“We’re not starting games on time,” Getzlaf said of the recent pattern of early deficits. “Eventually, somebody is going to beat you, especially when you give up three or four goals right off the hop. Tonight was one of those nights. We have to be ready for the next one.”

Boudreau warned the Ducks that the Predators wouldn’t be pushovers. Nashville was all but eliminated from playoff contention going into the game, but figured to be rejuvenated after a four-day break without a game. The Predators looked fresh and the Ducks looked stale.

“Every single guy has to be better mentally and make sure we don’t make those mistakes,” said defenseman Francois Beauchemin, who had a minus-4 defensive rating. “I think we all know what we have to do. We have a game plan, we’ve just got to make sure we do it. …

Elliott Teaford is an award-winning hockey reporter based in Southern California who covered the L.A. Kings when they won the Stanley Cup in 2012 and in '14, and the Anaheim Ducks' Cup win in 2007. He grew up playing outdoors on the streets of Philadelphia. He also watched the Flyers bully their way to consecutive Stanley Cups in the 1970s, and makes no excuses for their quasi-legal play.

Elliott Teaford is an award-winning hockey reporter based in Southern California who covered the L.A. Kings when they won the Stanley Cup in 2012 and in '14, and the Anaheim Ducks' Cup win in 2007. He grew up playing outdoors on the streets of Philadelphia. He also watched the Flyers bully their way to consecutive Stanley Cups in the 1970s, and makes no excuses for their quasi-legal play.

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